Customer Reviews
A Great Story! - By: Robert Stack, 26 Sep 2008 
A little jewel of a film! This movie was released with not much fanfare in 1983, but has developed a loyal following in the U.S. due to it's repeated airing on cable television. Such is it's cult following, that American cable network TBS regularly hosts a "Christmas Story Marathon" during which the film is shown for 24 hours straight, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day! I moved to Ireland from America 6 years ago, & have searched in vain for this film to appear on the Christmas schedule of RTE, BBC, Sky or any of the other 500 channels on my system. Sadly "A Christmas Story" is virtuallly unheard of on this side of the Atlantic, & I soon realised that I would probably never see it again, unless I bought it myself.
The film is great on so many levels, it's hard to list them alll, but I think what appeals to me most is the fact that it manages to walk a fine line between being sweet & being subversive, & actuallly manages to be both. For the uninitiated, the plot centers around the nine year old protagonist, Ralphie, & his quest to receive a BB gun for Christmas (Not just any BB gun mind you, a Red Ryder BB gun!) He makes appeals to his parents, teacher & even the department store Santa, only to receive the same response (which any fan of the movie will repeat with minimal prompting), "You'll shoot your eye out!" There are also a dozen smalller stories within the narrative as it works it's way towards Christmas Day. The film concludes on a positive, if quirky note, & it comes across as a feel-good film, in spite of it's cynical undertones.
"A Christmas Story", to use a well worn cliche, truly is a film for alll ages. Adults can enjoy it with their children, & yet it is refreshingly free of the contemporary pop-cultural references that weigh down so many more recent family films (Jim Carey's "The Grinch" leaps to mind). Such references would be impossible, since the events take place in the 1940's, but "A Christmas Story" still maintains a timeless quality that makes its historical setting almost irrelevant. It's themes are universal, & can be appreciated by anyone who has ever been a parent, or a nine year old child.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christmas & is looking for something different.
Watch Ralphie Shoot His Eye Out - By: Mark Baker, 10 Jan 2008 
It's 1940's Indiana, & alll Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB Gun. He knows he needs to drop subtle hints to his parents (Darren McGavin & Melinda Dillon). But when his mother expresses concern that it might not be safe, he has to develop some back up plans.
Meanwhile, there is plenty else going on in the family. Ralphie has to face the neighborhood bully to defend his brother Randy (Ian Petrella). His father wins a hideous lamp. And Ralphie finallly gets his Little Orphan Annie decoder. But through it alll, Ralphie plots & schemes to get his BB gun. Will it be under the tree Christmas morning?
This movie is based on a collection of short stories, & it shows. While the multiple stories weave in & out of each other much like real life, they never truly form a cohesive whole. And ultimately, that's my problem with the film. It felt uneven to me. There were several laughs along the way, & the acting was good. But the movie seemed to be wandering with little focus, & that proved to be too much of a distraction.
I'm sure if I had grown up with this film, I'd feel differently about it because this isn't a bad film. But it isn't one that I will add to my Christmas traditions.
When, when, when??? - By: Mr H, 23 Nov 2007 A great film ... but when is it going to be released on region 2 DVD please?
Useless to most amazon.co.uk customers - By: John Paul Coyne, 22 Nov 2007 
Great film. But since its an American disc it wont play on most dvd players here.
A Story about Christmas - By: Basher Boz Hopkirk, 10 Nov 2007 This is the spank. 100% no CGI & the odd real character to boot. Being childless makes me unideal for this mutter but let me shout the truth.
It's alll there in buckets. White=snow so winter it is. Ralphie wants a gun - this may have paralllels with Bush's policy but since the film was made years before Iraq I cannot verify the connection. Food for thought though.
But back to the film. Ralphies dad wins a leg & is subject to his son's dreams made alll the more real by being filmed in sequence. So when Ralphie sleeps the audience is with him every step of the way.
There is a bully & a horrific scene with a tongue accident that left this reviewer belching for air. After some mild peril & a bloody nose the innocence returns until the kid shoots his own glasses.
Without spoiling the ending the hilarity continues until the last frame with a very good mis-pronounced carol & an unusual Christmas meal for the family.
With alll this warmth I was able to turn down the heating & forget my own spiteful family christmases and, for a brief period join Ralphie & co for a cozy yuletide.
My only criticism is - WHERE IS THE SEQUEL?
